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People cope with the challenge to quit smoking in different ways. One common practice is the strategy of simply cutting back with the intention to stop completely at some point. Rather than give up cigarettes entirely, smokers will cut back from, for example, a pack a day to half a pack a day or from 15 cigarettes a day to 10.

Though this strategy certainly reduces the number of cigarettes you're smoking — at least temporarily — it doesn't always get you over that last hurdle of giving up cigarettes entirely. In view of that, it's hard to consider it an effective stop-smoking method. Find out what does work.

Expert Input on Cutting Back

Smoking cessation experts have mixed opinions on cutting back. Pat Folan, the director of the North Shore-LIJ Center for Tobacco Control in Great Neck, N.Y., says that cutting back is generally not a good idea because it prolongs the inevitable and gives you more opportunities to fail. "Cutting back is not recommended because people may experience cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and these unpleasant symptoms may discourage them from fully committing to quitting," she says. "For some, the thought of cutting back is very stressful. Setting a quit date is more effective and actually easier for most smokers who are trying to quit."

Though cutting back may result in less smoking, the reality is that any amount of smoking can still do major, irreversible health damage. "Every single cigarette does damage," Folan says. "The 2010 U.S. surgeon general's report states that there are over 7,000 chemicals in cigarettes, and when someone smokes a cigarette, these poisonous chemicals travel to every organ in the body. Smoking can cause a sudden stroke or heart attack, and even an occasional cigarette is harmful."

When Cutting Back Could Work

Coral Arvon, PhD, the director of Behavioral Health & Wellness at Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Florida, has a different outlook on cutting back on smoking. In her view, as long as you have your future "quit smoking date" marked on the calendar, and you are committed to sticking to that day, then cutting back in the weeks or months ahead of that date can be somewhat helpful.

"If you have been unsuccessful quitting cold turkey, this can be a good approach," she says. "Some people need to learn how to cope with stress and change their routine slowly. Quitting smoking is a behavioral habit, so the psychological changes are the most difficult to make. Cutting back will increase the likelihood of quitting."

Statistics from research seem to support Arvon's notion. In a review article that looked at 19 studies of attempts to stop smoking, 16 of the studies showed that cutting back was an effective method for ultimately leading people to quit smoking. None of the studies showed that cutting back undermined a future attempt to stop smoking. This led the researchers to conclude that cutting back can help with attempting to quit smoking.

Making Cutting Back More Effective

Of course, just cutting back isn't the only piece of the puzzle when it comes to quitting smoking. There are still other necessary steps to getting over that final hurdle. Arvon suggests making cutting back part of your overall strategy in the three to four weeks leading up to your final quit date. "During the cutting back stage, you should write on a piece of paper all the reasons you're going to stop smoking, cut them up, and put them into a cigarette pack," she suggests. "During the three weeks while you are cutting back, don't empty your ash trays — instead, place cigarette butts and water and ashes in a visible glass container, as a visual reminder of the number of cigarettes you're still smoking." Also, while cutting back, re-read the reasons you want to quit every night before bed, she suggests.

Stop smoking aids like nicotine replacement products, as well as counseling, can also play a role in the effort to stop smoking, and should still be part of any plan for cutting back. "Medications help reduce cravings either by elevating mood, replacing the nicotine that the tobacco had been providing, or blocking nicotine's action in the brain," says Folan. "Counseling with a tobacco treatment specialist is a wonderful option, as these experts can draw upon the experiences of thousands of successful ex-smokers to suggest strategies and assist their clients in making individualized quit plans."

So if you're planning to cut back with the intention of quitting, have a quit date in mind, and get the right resources in place before the date to up your chances of stopping smoking for good.